The subject matter disclosed herein relates to feed injectors, and, more particularly, to a protective shell for a gasification feed injector.
A variety of reactors and/or combustion systems employ feed injectors to inject a feedstock into a reactor or combustion chamber. For example, an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant includes a gasifier with one or more feed injectors. The feed injectors supply a fuel or feedstock, such as an organic feedstock, into the gasifier along with oxygen and steam to generate a syngas. In general, a gasification reaction occurs downstream from the feed injectors. However, a flame and/or heat from the reaction in close proximity to the feed injectors can reduce the life of the feed injectors, particularly if the feed injectors exceed certain temperatures. For example, the feed injector may be subject to increasingly greater temperatures toward the tip (e.g., nozzle) and/or other locations close to the flame. Additionally, corrosive components within the syngas (e.g., sulfur, chlorides, etc.) may cause corrosion of the feed injectors. As such, the lives of feed injectors may be reduced by such high temperatures and corrosive materials, even when cooling techniques are used.